The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-02-24

kSMFNJS.
Correspondence of the Journal.]
CITY OF MENICO, Jan. 1887. The wonder
is that anybody ever gets married in Mexico!
Not only are there the dangers and difficulties
of sub rosa counting which have endcavored
to describe but matrimony means the eNpen-
diture of great deal of money.
According to the timc-honored customs of
the country. the prospective groom must fur
nish home. fully equipped for housekeeping,
before the wedding day. and must purchase
all the brides trosseau. Not a word is said
about the dowry until at the civil ceremony,
when agreements are drawn up as to how
much will he the wifc's portion on the death
of her parcnts--for until their demise she will
receive absolutely nothing. Even the white
satin boots and the lingerie which she wears
to the altar are gifts of the groom, every arti-
ce of apparel she has previously owned being
returned to her family
The groom is also expected to make gifts to
to the bridemadS, the BRIDES relatives and to
all immediate friends. besides defrayng eX-
pen>e> of the wedding feast and subsequent
festivities. And the old Spanish fashion is
still sometimes INDUCED in by modern Dons-
of equal pride though far less wealth than
their titled ancestors-during the ride from
church when first made
HAPPY BENEDICTs.
or later from the balcony of the connubial
casa, to scatter coin among the cheering and
>crambing populace. rs Il farmer sows his
grain.
Notwithstanding all the passionate Iove-mak-
ing of these Mexican .Juliets. I am sorry to say
that most of them sad flirtS. 1t frequently
happens that a girl has two or three admirers.
who are all ''playing the bear to her (aS their
peculiar style Of outdoor couring is caed.)
at the same time. If they chance to meet out
side her window-as they are pretty sure to
do. each being so constant in his attendance
Q"ien q"iere T?-"whom do you wish to
>ee"' Ii the answer indicates the same Oh
jcrt, one will request the other to step aside,
urging prior claims, etc. If he refuses, Il duel
follows. and then the poor girl is bound by
etiquette to rclinqui>h them both. But in their
blind and jealous rage the rival Romeo> are
quite as likely to settle the matter then and
there with eVcr-prc>ent IaggerS or pistols; and
tragic though The end may he->he who can
boast of the greatest number of such encoun-
tiers for her sake is pre-emincntly the belle.
Despite the rigid >ccl,lSon in which these
fair .Nefic"nas are kept, elopcmentS are not
unknown. but
4 MEXICAN ELorEMENT
is not like any other under the sun. Per-
chance some devoted Romeo has been aSSilu-
ou> y ">parking"-at at long range. 50 to speak,
outside his Juliet'> window. for year. five
year>-even .ffteea ye"rs. a> | am told, is
sometimes the ease; if. after all that eNpendi-
turc of time. patience and guitar PLAYING. he is
at last II. .ected b, the obdtlrale parents, he can
20 to the nearest .jefe P,IUico ana swear out
a notice to the effect that the girls happiness
and his own is ruined by the fathers heartlcSs-
ness: and if he can induce the official to be-
lievc it (by offering sufficient bonu>) he Sc
cures warrant, which empowers him to take
the 'lam>el bodily from her parents home
romance-not exactly OF this nature. how
rNer-occurred Il few years ago in the State of
Guerrero. The caicque of one of the Indian
tribes which inhabit that southern portion of
Mexico. became cnamored of a beautiful SEN
orta of spanish lineage. Having no time to
Suuander in ''paving the bcar"-and knowing
moreover that her parents would never favor
his Sut-thi> tan-colored Robin Hood ki,lnap-
ped the girl OH his way to church. and carried
her of to his lodge in the wilderness. At the
earnest solicitation of her distracted family.
the government marched down regiment Of
soldiers TO rescue the captive. After long ami
Weary searching, they found the chieftan's
home. i'll the heart Of an lndit-ruhbcr forest
and We're met by the girl herself who entreat-
cd the commander of the forces to depart and
leave her in peace and happiness. Said she:
Il was terrified when seized and brought
here; but now | am the Caicqlle'> wife. and
| love him better than any other being on
earth The gallant Communicates in
cre'lulollS and fearing that threats of veI-
@cance had caused her to make this statement,
cNpo>tulated with her. and spoke of her moth
cr'> tears and the grief of her former lovers.
But with naughty gesture this modern Dc>-
'lemona replied: Il remain here voluntarily.
and forever. You will ohligc me by with
DRAWN" your force>.'' SO the lady was left to
her fate: and am glad to tell you that the
ATTIRE oTIIELLO.
proved model husband, and the romance
turned ont like genuine fairv-talc. So very
a.,
live i'll great state (for lndian>). and whenever
they 90 abroad are carried in cloSe, litters, Ia
Montczlnna. on the backs Of their faithful
subjects, 50 guarded that the ''vulg gar herd
may not behold their faces. But this Need
Prophet and his bride are not at ali ambitious
for the empty honor> of the outer worlds they
desire simply to be left to themselves. in quiet
possession of the hills and wales of their small
domain.
Even after a Mexican couple are "cn-a.ed''
and the paternal blessing bestowed. the lover
is not permitted to see his sweetheart for one
| mOmen; alone. With the parents consent. he
| may call at stated intervals and converse with
his tia;cc in the presence Of her family; but
though the betrothment is a legal ceremony.
duly witnessed, and almost a> bindin. as
marriage itself = not until the last knot III the
hymenial halter is securely tied can he have
word with her in private. or attend her any
where in public without hcr mothers company
If not that also of her sisters, her cousins
kiss. To he sure if he wants to kiss her
| decorou>ly under Il battery Of eyes, no serious
| objection might be raised after betrothment-
| but somehow. the wide world over. SpOonng
| lovers seem to consider the presence Of others
rather detrimental to the finer flavor of oscll-
| lation.
| or course, under such system the couple
| can have no real acquaintance before marriage.
| but must learn one another's tastes and tempers
| afterwards. However unsuitable the union
| IItt,l ,l.luth .1.,r
| this Catholic regime, which renders divorce
| ment impossible. Naturally domestic tragedies
sometimes occur, but truth compcl> us to admit
| that they are far less numerous than in our
| forthorough qlaintance>hip before marriage,
| but where $50 say the MeNican>) Irregular
| customers in the divorce courts obtain these
documents at half price.
TWO DISTINCT CEREMONIES
| are required to satisfy the demands of both
Church and State. First the civil marriage is
| performed by public official, as required by
the ~ Liberal . law of the amended Constitution.
| in order to legtimatiZe the hoped-for offspring
aud make them lawful inhertors Of their
| parents property. Next day, or months later,
as may be dc>ired-after this ceremony has
| been duly recorded the marriage is completed
| in Church. But between these two ceremonies
the couple are no more allowed to be alone to-
| gethcr for one moment than at any previous
| stage of their courtShip: in fact closer watch
than cver,is kept up during this tad-pole period,
| for fear the half-made husband might decamp
| at the eleventh hour. And truly, in spite of
| all their har,l-hearted nonsense, these Mexican
| parents are excellent judges of human nature,
| for no other course would be safe with hot
| bloodcd, tickle and treacherous race of men.
1t is no wonder that the church ceremonial
| is not calleda ctrH ceremony, for as to tedious
ness and expense it is certainly most uncivil
performance. The contracting parties are kept
kneeling and standing at least two hours--and
| much longer when music is made a feature of
| the occasion.
Not long ago attended
| a FASHIONABLE WEDDING
IN the grand cathedral. The gloomy old e,iitice
| was illumina ted from dome to pavement with
| Il million small wax tapers, and filled with the
| fragrance of white roses. The extent Of the
floral decorations may be imagined when tell
you that here, at all seasons Of year, roses sell
at never more than fifty cents per thousand,
and five hundred dollars worth We're used. A
velvet carpet was spread from the street to the
| church door. and the appearance of the bridal
party was hailed by deafening crash of music
from the great organ and two brass bands-the
| latter hidden behind an eNtemporiZed grove of
| palms.
The bride was attired in the conventional
white satin, garnished with beaded lace, with
train four yards long, and lOW-nccked bodice
covered with orange blossoms. Over this, fall
ing to her feet in front and reaching the hem of
her long train, was superb veil Of old point
dAlencon lace, which alone must have cost